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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · cell · cabinet · bay · date · board · shower · fine

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mate — a friend
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. board — to get on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cell — in biology
  11. shower — to wash
  12. mate — a partner
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cell — a phone
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. board — a committee
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mate — to breed
  21. shower — rain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com